National Tourist Board Calls for Immediate Action on Waste Management

The National Tourist Board (NTB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs (MTCA), has called upon all relevant government agencies, municipal authorities, environmental bodies, civil society organizations, and private sector partners to urgently activate and enforce their respective mandates in waste management and urban sanitation.

The call came in a press release, following growing concerns over the persistent and unsightly accumulation of solid and plastic waste along Sierra Leone’s beaches, particularly at Lumley Beach, located in the heart of Freetown.

According to the press release, despite sustained efforts over the years, including daily cleaning exercises and the engagement of beach bar operators to maintain the cleanliness of their immediate surroundings, the current state of the beach continues to pose a challenge for the Ministry and the Board. Its added that the unfortunate reality undermines their collective aspiration to position Sierra Leone as a premier destination for both local and international visitors.

The release disclosed that the degradation of the country’s coastline is largely attributable to the unpatriotic and irresponsible disposal of waste by certain individuals. The habitual dumping of refuse into gutters and sewage systems-especially during the rainy season-results in the eventual deposition of waste along the beaches, tarnishing their natural beauty and ecological integrity, which they describes as disheartening.